Philosophy (MA)
Master of Arts (MA)
Offered by:
Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Science
Program overview
An MA in philosophy will help you wrestle with some of humanity's most significant concerns such as: the basis of knowledge, logic, ethical action, human rights, global justice, and understanding our relationship with the environment. The central focus of philosophy is developing conceptual frameworks and tools to address fundamental questions about reality, life, and knowledge. At Concordia, we examine these questions through analytic philosophy, history of philosophy, continental philosophy, and comparative philosophy. Our students are studying topics such as global justice, Kant’s metaphysics, the natures of science and humility, Merleau-Ponty and Levinas’ ethics, and multi-valued logics. Students in the program are well-placed to continue in doctoral studies, with many now teaching at universities around the world. Whatever your path in life, our philosophy MA offers invaluable assets: skills in clear thinking and careful reasoning, coupled with a knowledge of the history of ideas.
Admission Requirements
- A Bachelor's degree in philosophy, or a related field, with coursework that prepares students for graduate studies in philosophy.
- Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.
*A strong background in related fields (e.g., political science, mathematics, psychology, comparative literature, classics, sociology) may be deemed equivalent if the application foregrounds philosophical relevance and training.
Degree Requirements
Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 45 credits.
Please see the Philosophy Courses page for course descriptions.
Philosophy MA (45 credits)
| 18 | credits of coursework, with a minimum of: 3 credits chosen from History of Philosophy Courses 3 credits chosen from Aesthetics, Moral Philosophy, or Social and Political Philosophy Courses 3 credits chosen from Metaphysics, Epistemology or Philosophy of Science Courses |
| 27 | credits chosen from: Option A : Philosophy MA Research Thesis Option B : Philosophy MA Monograph Thesis |
Option A : Philosophy MA Research Thesis
| • PHIL 693 Research Thesis (27.00) |
Option B : Philosophy MA Monograph Thesis
| • PHIL 696 Monograph Thesis (27.00) |
History of Philosophy Courses
| • PHIL 607 Kant (3.00) • PHIL 609 Selected Topics in the History of Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 612 Ancient Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 613 Medieval Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 614 Modern Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 615 19th-Century Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 616 Selected Topics in the History and Philosophy of Science (3.00) • PHIL 617 Origins of Analytic Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 618 Origins of Continental Philosophy (3.00) |
Aesthetics, Moral Philosophy, or Social and Political Philosophy Courses
| • PHIL 621 Value Theory (3.00) • PHIL 623 Issues in Ethical Theory (3.00) • PHIL 624 Moral Problems (3.00) • PHIL 625 Aesthetics (3.00) • PHIL 626 Political Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 627 Marx (3.00) • PHIL 628 Philosophy of Law (3.00) • PHIL 629 Values and Biotechnology (3.00) • PHIL 631 Theories of Justice (3.00) • PHIL 632 Environmental Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 633 Selected Topics in Value Theory (3.00) |
Metaphysics, Epistemology, or Philosophy of Science Courses
| • PHIL 634 Selected Topics in Epistemology (3.00) • PHIL 641 Philosophical Foundations of Biology (3.00) • PHIL 643 Selected Topics in Metaphysics (3.00) • PHIL 644 Philosophy of Science (3.00) • PHIL 645 Philosophy of Mathematics (3.00) • PHIL 646 Philosophy of Language (3.00) • PHIL 647 Philosophy of Mind (3.00) • PHIL 648 Philosophy of Social Science (3.00) • PHIL 649 Phenomenology (3.00) • PHIL 652 Selected Topics in Logic (3.00) • PHIL 656 Selected Topics in Analytic Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 658 Selected Topics in Continental Philosophy (3.00) • PHIL 659 Selected Topics in Metaphysics, Epistemology, or Philosophy of Science (3.00) |
To be classified each year by the graduate program director
| • PHIL 672 Tutorial (3.00) • PHIL 678 Topics in Current Research (3.00) • PHIL 698 The Teaching of Philosophy (3.00) |
You may choose one of two options.
- Option A: Philosophy MA Research Thesis
- Option B: Philosophy MA Monograph Thesis
We encourage students who plan to continue their studies at the doctoral level to write a research thesis (option A). You’ll finish with a strong writing sample to submit with your application to a PhD program, and you may also submit the paper for graduate and professional conferences or journals.
If you have a Bachelor's degree in another discipline, with at least 24 credits in Philosophy, you may be eligible to undertake a qualifying year program. Please get in touch with our Graduate Program Director to discuss your options.
Your completed application will include:
- Application form and Fee
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Three Letters of Reference and assessment form
- Statement of Purpose (maximum 1,250 words) should include a description of the research you would like to undertake
- Sample(s) of your writing, around 2,500 to 3,750 words
- Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended
- Proof of Canadian citizenship (if applicable)
- Applicants whose primary language is not English, are required to submit official language test scores, unless exempted.
Please apply online. Read the how-to guide for application procedures.
Courses typically offered include:
- Ancient philosophy
- Kant and post-Kantian German philosophy
- Environmental philosophy
- Moral and political philosophy
- Feminist philosophy
- Philosophy of science
- Cognitive science
- Phenomenology
Consult the graduate calendar for a list of courses and our department site for current courses offered.
We’re committed to providing students the support they need to focus on their studies. Top students benefit from scholarships and teaching assistantships, and all students are eligible for conference awards and other funding.
Please also consult the Philosophy Department’s funding page and Financial Aid and Awards.
Choose your supervisor from amongst leading researchers. Speak to the graduate program director to discuss the process of selecting a supervisor.
Our graduates have gone onto universities around the world, including the University of Oxford, McGill University, University of Southern California, Université de Montréal, University of Toronto, LMU Munich, and others.
An MA in Philosophy also positions you to teach in Quebec’s Cegep system.
We believe that clarity of thought and careful reasoning, along with familiarity with the history of ideas, will prove to be invaluable skills, whatever your career path. Read more about philosophy and the job market.